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As part of my coping with OCD strategy, I used to avoid the news - silly boy, wrong strategy.

Having put that right I am pleased to report I can now take the news every which way - TV, radio, newspaper, online - and I simply glide my mind over it, taking in stories - but without the unwanted OCD focus.

How has this come about?

I have harm OCD, and my OCD would focus on a news story, home right in on it, and allege a connection between me and this - totally unconnected - story, e.g.it is something I could do, be involved with.

Compulsive result - avoidance, and the consequent restrictions upon my daily life.

CBT taught me in the C, cognitive, part that harm OCD was attacking my true core character values of love care kindness and alleging the opposite.

And that a kind of antenna inside me would go seek out triggers to connect me with this - false - OCD core belief. When this scanner found a news story it could connect, it would focus in and hold that focus. Cue the anxiety response, unwanted negative repetitive thinking, carrying out compulsions such as avoidance.

By working through a structured process of exposure and response prevention I was able to note the triggers when the scanner found them, but not connect with them or give them meaning (thanks to the cognitive work) and move on from them.

This is the true joy of CBT in action.

The good news is, if we are fully committed to it and the homework and exposure work required, it can be very successful.

And, as I love quizzes, an added bonus is I score very well on current affairs, and can easily converse about them in company.